LAWRENCEVILLE, Georgia, March 2014 –Optima Stantron designed and successfully tested cabinets to meet both North American (AREMA) and European (CENELEC) railway standards. The cabinets passed all testing to qualify for use in railway applications where high vibration and shock conditions occur.

The welded and riveted frame was designed by modifying Optima’s standard M1 cabinet frame design. The cabinet had to meet a customer’s specific requirements for AREMA Part 11.5.1 Class I – Vehicle Interior (Platform-Mounted), which examines the operation of electronics inside locomotive spaces. Optima’s cabinet did not require shock isolators in order to meet the mechanical shock and vibration requirements mandated by the railway industry.

“Optima is very familiar with meeting tough environmental requirements due to our experience in defense applications,” said Ron Hall, director of cabinets product line for Optima Stantron. “We met our customer’s challenge and delivered a robust cabinet that they can rely on to protect the sensitive electronics in their rail equipment.”

The cabinet design was required to conform to CENELEC EN 61373 Class 1A, specifically targeted at sub-assemblies and equipment mounted on or under a railway car, as well as AREMA Part 11.5.1 Class I, which tests several physical characteristics of electronic equipment mounted in the enclosed interior space of the locomotive. More information on these standards can be found on their respective websites: AREMA and CENELEC.